My Review for The Post Box at the North Pole by Jaimie Admans

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This is just a big, warm, cosy hug 🤗 in a book! I smiled the whole of the way through and just couldn’t get enough of Sasha and Tav. All wrapped up in hot chocolate, Christmas, Santa, reindeer, snow, and lots of Christmas magic. I want to move to the North Pole forest and look after reindeer, whilst experiencing the joy on children’s faces as they see where the elves make the toys and where Santa answers all their letters.

I want to see this made into a movie. There must be a scriptwriter out there who can adapt this for the big screen. Imagine having read the book, and then snuggling up with your kids in front of a crackling log fire with a mug of minty hot chocolate each and falling into Santa’s world. 

Jaimie writes about all her characters with love and affection. You can tell they would be her friends in real life. There are a few ups and downs along the way but of course, you know everything is going to work out ok in the end, that’s just the kind of book it is. 

The Post Box at the North Pole is the perfect story to read, coming up to Christmas. Who knows whether there will be snow at Christmas where you live, but in the nooks and crannies of this book, it’s guaranteed. I can’t rate this highly enough. I loved it so much and I hope you do too. 

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ Digital for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of The Post Box at the North Pole by Jaimie Admans.

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My Review for The Dark (Interland Series Book #3) by Gary Clark

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thank you to Gary Clark for sending me an ARC of The Dark, the third book in the Interland series. Once again, it was a privilege to be asked, and I loved reading it and falling into the world of Given and Readers.

After the downfall of Readers, Jay, and her friends and family, are continuing with their lives and trying to get back to some sort of normality. Jay is working in Alf’s bookshop in a dedicated section on the top floor, which she is dedicated to the history of Given. Collecting books from all over the country, Jay has provided a wealth of information for anyone wanting to learn more. 

But something isn’t right. Darkness appears to be just around the corner and Jay, Cassie, Stitch and their friends need a plan of action. They need to discover what is happening and work out how to fix it.

As with his previous books, The Given and Interland, Gary Clark has written a real page-turner with The Dark. Full of tension, thrills and nail-biting experiences, The Dark takes us on a whirlwind journey through countries, islands and varying powers as Jay and her friends attempt once more to take on their enemies. Meeting new friends along the way, anyone with Given powers is eager to help take on the leader of the Dark.

Clark highlights the lengths that some people will go to, to keep their friends safe, even if it means putting themselves in danger, but with the ultimate goal of protecting everyone.

I would recommend The Dark for Young Adults and older. Lose yourself in another world, one where magic is paramount, but not everything will turn out as you expect! I really hope there is a 'next in the series'!

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My Review for Dracula by Bram Stoker, Narrated by Mark Gatiss

⭐⭐⭐⭐ When a Facebook Group I’m a member of, suggested reading Dracula, coming up to Halloween, I thought I’d give it a go. Never having read it before and not having a lot of time, I thought I’d try it as an Audiobook. I searched through Audible for one I fancied and an abridged version (although not very abridged - it was still almost 18 hours in length) came up, narrated by Mark Gatiss and had excellent reviews. I downloaded it and, for the next few days, I was in another world.

I obviously knew the general idea of the story - it’s about a vampire - right? Well yes, it is, but there is so much more to it and I wish I’d picked it up years ago! 

No, it’s not very fast-paced and yes, Stoker could have probably written it in half the number of pages, but I thought the story was told well. Gatiss was an excellent narrator. I’m not sure some of my friends across the pond would understand the Yorkshire accent in parts (hell, I’m not sure I got all of it) but it added it to the authenticity of the location.

Initially told from the point of view of Jonathan Harker’s journals, Dracula follows several characters as they are immersed in the story. Mina is Harker’s fiancee, Lucy is Mina’s closest friend and Art is her fiancé. Each one is drawn into Dracula’s world in their own way, and Dr Van Helsing and Dr Seward set out to solve the mystery.

The story is descriptive and entertaining, with a wide variety of characters. Some you will warm to and others are just plain boring. As Dracula’s ship comes into Whitby harbour, the story of its journey across the seas put me on board with the crew to experience what they did. Was I scared? No, not at all, I have read much more terrifying stories of vampires and suchlike but this was just a well-written and often warming story.

Should you read it, if you haven’t already? Yes, of course, because it’s a classic and everyone should know the story. I’ve added it to my list of books to buy and I’d like it as a Penguin Clothbound to add to my collection! It will look good on my shelves!

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My Review for City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1) by Cassandra Clare, Narrated by Ari Gaynor

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I have only recently heard about Cassandra Clare’s books, but immediately decided they would be the sort of thing I’d really enjoy. Fantasy, paranormal, and magic - what more could I need to enable me to escape once again to another world.

I downloaded the Audiobook of City of Bones from Borrowbox and lost myself in Idris, the Shadowhunters’ home country.

Fifteen-year-old Clary Fray lives with her Mum in New York City. Just a normal teenage girl, with a normal teenage attitude. However, after a night out in Pandemonium nightclub with her best friend Simon, she realises that the world is not as it seems. Did that young boy really just get killed in front of her and then disappear as though nothing had happened? 

Clary is now part of the Shadowhunters world and learns how she can see things that normal humans (mundanes) can’t. She has a swift introduction to demons, vampires and werewolves and discovers that she has powers of her own.

Focused on friendship, teamwork and ‘doing the right thing’, Clare tells an entertaining story with her vivid and descriptive imagination. Each character has their own back story, and these are explained as we go through the novel. Personally, I loved Jace, a pain in the ass, yes, but he will always have your back.

Too much of a synopsis will spoil the story, but if you love all things paranormal, fantastical and not of this world, then give City of Bones a try - if you haven’t already!

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My Review for Midnight in the Snow by Karen Swan

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of Midnight in the Snow by Karen Swan.

She’s only gone and done it again and thrown out another belter! Congratulations to Karen Swan for Midnight in the Snow. I loved it, loved it, loved it!

Clover Phillips makes documentaries and has recently completed the award-winning ‘Pipe Dreams’, telling Cory Allbright’s story as a world champion surfer. But how can she follow that up? She is going to have to pull something special out of the bag to compete with such an epic story, and she has an idea.....

Set predominantly in the Austrian Alps, Midnight in the Snow is picturesque, with beautiful snow-covered mountains and images of brightly coloured skiers dotted along the ski runs. Swan captures the atmosphere amazingly, and I could easily imagine I was up there too (although I’m not a skier, so I would have been drinking hot chocolate and reading a book)!

Midnight in the Snow has more than its share of characters, each with their own back story and each equally relevant to the story and, in their own way, I loved them all. I think Beau was my favourite, but I won’t give anything away, you’ll just need to read to the end!

There were just as many twists and turns in the story as there were on the ski slopes and I can guarantee that as the book progresses, you will turn those pages faster than Kit drops into the halfpipe!

If you enjoy a winter wonderland, snow sports, romance and a great plot, then you will love Midnight in the Snow. Read it today, you won’t be disappointed.

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My Review for Making Waves at Penvennan Cove by Linn B. Halton

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thank you to NetGalley and Aria Fiction for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of Making Waves at Penvennan Cove by Linn B. Halton.

Kerra Shaw has recently returned from London to her home village in Cornwall, following the death of her mother and as a support to her father. Kerra is a successful businesswoman and is hoping to invest and support small businesses in the community, whilst maintaining her currently secret relationship with Ross. Only a handful of people know about their relationship, and until the feud between their families ends, Kerra would like it to remain a secret, but this is Penvannan and nothing stays a secret for long. 

This is the second book in the series, which I didn’t realise at first and although other reviewers have mentioned that it shouldn’t be read as a stand-alone, I’m not sure it really matters, I found the book very slow, to begin with, and not much seemed to happen for at least the first third of the book and I did even consider not finishing it. However, don’t let that put you off. For the rest of the book, I was hooked, and I keenly turned the pages to discover what was going to happen next in Penvennan Cove. 

The author was adept with her descriptions of the Cornish village life, with its fishermen’s cottages and quirky village characters. There were many times when Kerra popped into the village bakery and my mouth watered at the mention of the delicious cakes! 

This is the first book I have read by Linn B. Halton but I am looking forward to reading more. If you love a happy-ever-after story, set in a cosy, English, seaside village, then you’ll enjoy Making Waves at Penvennan Cove.

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My Review for Secrets of Santorini by Patricia Wilson, narrated by Aoife McMahon and Caroline Lennon

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Secrets of Santorini was my Audiobook of choice as I started to clear my garden and get it ready for winter. What better way to escape from the coming autumnal days than to disappear into the Greek islands for a while!

Irini McGuire grew up in a convent school in Dublin, whilst her parents continued with their archaeological career on the Greek island of Santorini. After Irini’s mother, Bridget, suffers an accident, Irini travels to the Greek island to visit her. Once there, it becomes apparent that everything is not as it seems, and in particular, why Irini was sent away at a very early age. 

Secrets of Santorini is told from the points of view of both Irini and Bridget, alternating between chapters. I enjoy reading this style of writing and experiencing the story from different angles, and Patricia Wilson excels at it.

I found Secrets of Santorini slow to begin with, particularly when we were taken back in time through Bridget’s dreams. As the book progressed though, I was drawn further into the story and wished I had paid more attention to some of Bridget’s dreams, which I initially found boring, but that was because I didn’t understand what relevance they had! I should have known better, for Patricia Wilson never writes about topics that aren’t relevant to the book!

As with all her other books, Patricia Wilson has put an enormous amount of research into Secrets of Santorini and as the story progressed, I travelled with Irini as she journeyed between Dublin, Crete, and Santorini, learning more about Greek history and the classics.

Recommended for anyone who enjoys a book set on a beautiful island with an archeological history but with a contemporary feel.

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